Nutrition and Dietetics research

Research in Nutrition and Dietetics is focused on public health nutrition, clinical dietetics and applied nutrition science and using these to help improve human health and wellbeing especially in vulnerable people. The team comprises eight research-active staff who have considerable expertise in wide-ranging topics within the field and collaborate both within the University and externally.

Specific areas of interest include:

Public health nutrition: the communication of written nutritional information; school meals; nutrition and behaviour in prisons; personalised nutrition; nutrigenetics, nutrition in the homeless community.

Our aim is to make a meaningful contribution to the evidence-base in nutrition and dietetics and at the same time to help build research capacity by developing and embedding research skills in our work with undergraduate students and NHS and public health collaborative partners.

This is done by providing opportunities to contribute to novel projects which have the potential to yield robust data and lead to research publications.

Undergraduate Nutrition and Dietetics research

Students on the BSc (Hons) Dietetics and BSc (Hons) Nutrition programmes are introduced to research during their first year and undertake a module in research methods in year two. This provides a valuable opportunity to learn about a wide range of study designs, methodologies and analysis. This learning is then applied in the final year when each student has the opportunity to carry out their own research project, which many of them start during the summer between the second and final year.

We encourage students to engage in real investigations and work collaboratively in a supervised manner with nutritionists, dietitians and other healthcare professionals outside the University. Ideas from students and potential collaborators are welcome.

Postgraduate Nutrition and Dietetics research

A pathway through Master's of Research (MRes) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil) to Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is available to graduates with a relevant first degree.

Registered dietitians on the MSc Dietetics (Advanced Practice) can also undertake a postgraduate taught module in research methods before undertaking their research dissertation.